Improved bedstead



UNITED STATESI PATENT FFICE.

i ELIAS HOVE, JR., OF BROKLYN, NE'W. YORK.

IMPROVED BEDSTEAD.

Specication forming part of Letters Patent No. 15,609, dated August 26,1856.

To a/ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELIAS HOWE, Jr.,.of the city of Brooklyn, in thecounty of Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Spring-Beds; and I do hereby declare that the followingis a full, clear, and exact description of my said invention, referencebeing had to the drawings which are hereunto annexed, and in which-Figure l represents a view in perspective of a bedstead with myimprovement applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a portion ofone of the slats thereof. Fig. 3 is a plan of the same. FigA: is across-section of the same, and Fig. 5 is a view in perspective of amodiiied form of spring.

The object of my invention is to produce an elastic supportfor the bodyby means of a series of springs, which, although separate and distinctand of considerable length, act in unison to form a series ofbearing-points separated by very short intervals to sustain the mattressupon which the body lies,

The frame of the bedstead represented in the accompanying drawings isconstructed in the usual manner and is composed of four posts A A A A,of the rails B B, and crossbars C C, which connect the posts together,and of the head-board D and footfboard E. This frame supports a seriesof slats a @,which extend lengthwise from one end of the frame to theother, their extremities being supported by the cross-bars C C at thehead and foot of the frame. Each of these slats is fitted with a seriesof inclined springs b b, which overlie each other, so that their upperextremities are separated by very short intervals, although the lengthof each spring is considerable. These springs are in this instance madeof spring-wire of a strength proportioned to the weight to be sustained,and their lower extremities are made pointed and driven into holesformed in the slats, so that they cannot be displaced by the impositionof a weight upon their upper or free extremities.

In order to complete the series of bearingpoints at that end of thebedstead from which the springs incline, a sufcient number of springs cc, inclined in the opposite direction to the others, are set into theslats, and these springs are made somewhat narrower than the others, sothat their legs may enter between those of the others. If the greaternumber of the springs incline in the same direction,theirmovementinbending underaweight and in tending to assume their primarypositionswhen the weight is relaxed may cause a movement in the mattress towardthat end of the bedstead toward which the springs incline. Thisdilculty, if it occurs in practice, may be readily obviated by reversingthe alternate slats, so that the springs which are laterally adjacentmay incline in opposite directions, orthe greater part of the springsupon each slat may be set to incline alternately in opposite directions,in which case the legs of those which incline toward one end of the bedmay be inserted between the legs of those which incline in the oppositedirection, or these two methods may be combined, so that the adjacentsprings both crosswise and lengthwise will incline in oppositedirections toward the head and foot of the bed. The springs may also bedoubled upon themselves, so as to obtain a greater length ofv springwithout extending over alarger surface. They may also be arranged in twoor more layers, the upper extremities of one layer being nearer theslats than those of another layer, in which case a greater number ofsprings will be brought into operation when the weight upon the bed isincreased beyond that which can be supported by the highest layer alone.

In place of inserting the extremities of the springs into the bottom ofthe bed, they may beattached to it in some other mannerwhich will holdthem securely thereto-as, for example, by screws or by staples. In thelatter case two or more springs may be made of a single piece of wire,as shown at Fig. 5,where l the springs d e incline in oppositedirections and are connected by straight pieces ,which are twisted bythe movement of the springs, so that the torsive strength of theseconnecting-pieces is brought into action to assist the operation of theother portiohs of the springs. In this case, also, the springs beinginclined in opposite directions counterbalance each other, so that thereis buta slight strain upon the staples which secure them to the bottomof the bed. In some cases it may be found advisable to Hatten portionsor even the whole of the spring-wire by passing it between rolls or bythe action of a hammer, so as to vary the elasticity of the springs atdifferent portions of their length or to make them more elastic. Theseand other modifications of my invention may be made as circumstancesrequire and to suitthe views of different constructors.

I am aware that spring-beds of various descriptions have heretofore beenmade and do not claim the use of springs for such a purpose; but

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

A spring-bed constructed of a series of springs Which overlie eachother, are cornbined tog-ether, and arranged in inclined poA sitionsupon a bed-bottom, substantially as herein set forth.

In. testimony whereof I have hereunto sub= scribed my name.

WM. I-I. PLUMMER, v WATTS M. FRANKLIN.

